COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT OF 1830. 

 Mr. Van Buren to Mr. McLane. 



LONDON, Wth July, 1829. 



[Extracts.] 



1st. The Trade between The United States and the British Ameri- 

 can Colonies. The policy of The United States in relation to their 

 commercial intercourse with other Nations is founded on principles 

 of perfect equality and reciprocity. By the adoption of these prin- 

 ciples, they have endeavored to relieve themselves from the discus- 

 sions, discontents, and embarrassments, inseparable from the imposi- 

 tion of burthensome discriminations. These principles were avowed 

 whilst they were yet struggling for their Independence, are accorded 

 in their first Treaty, and have since been adhered to with the most 

 scrupulous fidelity. In the year 1815, they repealed all their Acts 

 imposing discriminating tonnage duties on Foreign Ships or Vessels, 

 and of impost, so far as respected the produce or manufacture of the 

 Nations to which such Foreign Ships or Vessels might belong such 

 repeal to take effect in favour of any Foreign Nation which should 

 abolish similar duties, so far as they operated to the disadvantage of 

 The United States. 



In the year 1817, they restricted the importation into The United 

 States, in Foreign Vessels, to articles or the growth, produce, or 

 manufacture of the Country to which such Vessels belonged, or as 

 could only be, or were most usually, shipped in the first instance from 

 such Country; provided that such regulation should not extend to 

 the Vessels of any Foreign Nation which had not adopted, or should 

 not adopt, a similar regulation with regard to them. 



In the year, 1824, they declared the suspension of all discriminating 

 duties, in relation to the Vessels and produce of several European 

 Nations, and of their Territories in Europe, which had accepted of 

 the terms proffered by the Act of 1815, and conferred authority upon 

 the President to extend the same exemption to all Nations thereafter 

 complying with its requirements; and in 1828, an Act was passed, 

 authorizing the President to extend the exemption in regard to alien 

 duties, which, by the Acts of 1815 and 1824, was restricted to the 

 productions of the Country to which the Vessel belongs, to the pro- 

 ductions of any Foreign Country imported into The United States 

 in the Vessels of any Nation which would allow a similar exemption 

 in favour of The United States. 



The terms proposed by our Act of 1815 were adopted in the Com- 

 mercial Treaty between The United States and Great Britain in the 

 same year, which has been twice extended, and is now in full force. 

 By it, the commercial intercourse between The United States and the 

 British Possessions in Europe is established upon just and equal 

 terms. The United States desired to place their trade with the 



92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 6 17 131 



